War is Kind: The Fourth Quarter Quell
by C.Peace
Summary: On the one-hundreth anniversery, as a reminder to the rebels that they must remember and relive the damage they've caused, each district will elect four tributes from the existing pool of victors. And Who'd have better odds than the most recent victor of District 2? Adonis is back, with an old friend, and with a new cast of tributes. Sequel to All's Fair in Love and War.
1. Chapter 1

I wake up and I bury myself beneath the sheets even further. It's cold. The air is frigid, and the new houses heater is broken. I guess we can go to X's house for some heat. Ever since I won the games, he's accepted our family back into his life. I get up and push Hanna over. She falls off the bed, and quickly sprawls to her feet. "What the hell, Adonis!" she shouts in a groggy confusion.

"Let's go to X's house," I tell her and she agrees. We get dressed, and I go to wake up Aries and Dad. They both decide to go over in a while, so just Hanna and I leave to X's. Hanna and I have been a couple ever since I had returned from the games. When interviews with Capital reporters started, I used Hanna as my cover. I had too. President Scar told me too. I wasn't supposed to show any feelings for Martha. Do I regret disrespecting Martha like this? Of course. I haven't really talked much about her since the interview in the Capital three months ago on the Victory Tour.

I hated it. I felt as if the tour were meant to torture me. So I could see all the faces of the family's whose children I killed, or died protecting me. Roxy's family was extended, and I never looked into the eyes of any of them. I did say a word about Roxy though. I told everyone that their children are all smart and resourceful, not just that but kind. I did the same in District 4. I told them that Crystal and Gammic were a team until the end. Not only did they think of each other, they also helped me out. Especially Crystal. She was the most generous person I've met.

I knock on X's door, and it takes a while before the door opens to show an older woman. Most likely around X's age. She leaves angrily, and I can tell that he had just had his way with her. I've done it to other girls too, but I kept it a secret from Hanna. When I walk inside, I call out for him. "Hey, X. It's me, Adonis, and Hanna!"

"I'll be right down, I'm getting dressed!" he yells back. We sit down in his kitchen, and Hanna starts to cook something for all of us. When he comes down he tells me about the girl who had just left. Apparently she was an old friend of his. She also didn't like being lied too. Then again, I don't think any girl would like a promised relationship only to be dumped after being used. _That's my brother_, I laugh to myself.

There's a knock on the door, and X leaves to open it. When he comes back, he comes back with Enobaria. An old victor from before the last rebellion. Apparently she's been in more than one Hunger Game, voluntarily. She's old, maybe around 80 but she's still fit enough to survive another games if she could. Here in the District 2 Victor's Village, there is a training facility for the Victors only. X and I go there a lot. Enobaria is a very wise woman, she was Destinique and X's mentor. She has razor-sharp teeth implanted into her mouth to commemorate the way she won. Just like I did, she ripped out the throat of another tribute.

About a month ago, X, Enobaria, and some other Hunger Games veterans convinced me to do the same. So I had the ends of my teeth adorned with stainless steel points. "Hello, Enobaria," I say.

"Hello, Adonis. How are the teeth?" she laughs.

"They're doing fine." Most girls are scared of the teeth, but they eventually get used to it. Plus it's not like I'm biting them when I kiss them.

"Enobaria, do you know what today is?" X asks excitedly. Enobaria nods.

"They are revealing the card of the Quarter Quell, today. They're having a showing of the reveal at the Justice Building,all of us are going to be there." Enobaria answers him. For some reason I'm just as excited as they are for this. I'm not going to ly, but I have grown a more twisted sense of humor since I had returned.

Hanna serves everyone food, and eventually Aries and Dad get here. We all laugh and have fun, and this really is the first time we acted like everything was okay, but was there ever a reason that everything wasn't okay. Aries and I rarely ever go out of the district anymore. We already have most of the food we ever needed. I've told my Dad that he doesn't ever have to work again, but he still works at the hospital. Aries and I still go out, but it's mainly just to walk around the mountains.

We would still go out of the fence just for fresher air, but since I got back from my Victory tour, they fences had been electrified beyond me. I can no longer grip the fence without feeling anything. Plus the only way to go over it would be to climb, and that wouldn't very pleasant on account of the spikes on it. President Scar made sure to have a crack down here.

The rest of the day before the showing of the reveal, Hanna and I make a trip to the top of the mountain. It was the first place she and I ever got to "know" each other. Ever since then, its been our favorite place to get to "know" each other. Every time we go up there she just loves to remind me that I was never in love with Martha, and that I was always in love with her. I always confirm it. When you tell a lie for so long it actually becomes the truth. I've said that I never had feeling for Martha so many times, that I already started to forget about her and the way she made me feel. Whatever that felt like

I ly down, and Hanna rest her head on my chest. We watch the clouds go by, and she talks about how happy she is with me. I agree with her, and she kisses me. It's better than it was when I first got back.

We return down the mountain and walk to the Justice Building. They are setting up for the reveal, and I see that seats are set up. I let Hanna go with her family, and I go with X, Aries, and Dad. "Where did you to go?" Aries asks me.

"Up to the mountains for some...fresh air." We both laugh because he knows what that means.

"How long are you going to be with her? You don't even like her." He asks quietly.

"When I get bored of getting to know her," I say and we laugh again. "Besides, we're not even a couple. I get to know other girls." He nods and then the screen starts to play the ceremony in the Capital. President Scar stands over a podium addressing the crowd and the districts. He reminds us that in the first quarter quell each district was to elect its two tributes. In the second one, the district had to give twice the number of tributes. Finally the third one was when two victors from each district returned to the arena for a second time around. That's when the rebellion started. Now were at the fourth quarter quell. Destinique sits down next to me, and she tells me to brace myself because this theme will put the kids I'm mentoring through hell. It's true. The kids will be in the arena along with a twist. I can't imagine doing any of the before said Quarter Quells.

A boy in a white robe goes up to him and Scar takes the card. He opens it, and I can see that some of the old Victors look excited. "On the one-hundreth anniversery, as a reminder to the rebels that they will be forced to remember and relive the damage they've caused, each district will elect four tributes, two female, two male, from the existing pool of victors."

My heart stops and I grab the closet thing next to me, which is Destinique's hand. She's tensed up just as much as me. I look around and see faces that accepted it. They have to elect four tributes from the pool of victors, and who is more capable than the younger kids. X, Destinique, and I.


	2. Chapter 2

I sit still trying not to show my tension to this. The program ends, and we all leave the Justice Building space. People resume their normal lives, but Destinique and I start to walk back to Victor's Village. "What are we going to do about this?" she asks.

"There's a very low chance that everyone in District 2 would want us to go in again." I tell trying to calm her down.

"Who are you kidding? We are the most capable. Of course, they're going to choose us." She says and shakes my hand trying to get me detached from the path ahead.

"Don't show fear!" I grab her face between my hands. "Now," I begin again. "We're going to stroll back to Victor's Village as if nothing is wrong. We are going to show them that we are not afraid of going back in." She nods with glossy eyes. We walk back to the homes, and we pass by the homes of older victors. They all eyeball us as we pass them.

We make it to our homes, and she rushes into my house. "So, what are we going to do?" she whispers furiously to me.

"We have three months until the next games. That's three months in the Training Facility. If we are chosen, then at least we'll be prepared. We'll start tomorrow!" She nods and slowly leaves the house. I go up to my bed and dive into the sheets. All I want is sleep.

The next day, Destinique comes over early and we go to the Training Facility. We aren't the only ones with the same idea. I think every still capable victor is in here training. The place is meant to mimic the training center in the Capital. I think every District has one. I look around and see X with a group of older people. He's in the axe swinging station. Destinique and I separate ourselves and work on anything we can find.

It goes on like this for the next three months, until finally the day of the reaping for this years Hunger Games.

They've held ballots and all the live victors wait on stage, while the votes are counted. Destinique and I are ready for this. When all the people are finally gathered in the square, Marina Blue starts the ceremony. I haven't seen her since the Victory Tour, and it seems she's changed her style of color. She's in red and gray. To me it looks like a bloody knife. There is a leaderboard above us and it's counting the votes. When it's done the top four names will appear.

The leaderboard bings, and Marina goes to read the names. "For the ladies, Enobaria Frame and Destinique Drake." I look over to Enobaria who is smiling, and Destinique who is glossy eyed again. "Now, for the males!" She looks up and reads, "X Cannon and Adonis Breach." She looks at me with a face of despair. Looks like I was right. I'm going back to the arena. Now I'm going to have to face 47 experienced murders, some more brutal than others.

We're taken into the Justice building but we get no visitations. We're instantly sent on the train. X and I are sharing a room, and so is Destinique and Enobaria. We all meet up in the dining cart with Marina and we eat. "I already miss them," Destinique says looking out the window.

"Shut up, Destin-weak!" Enobaria and X laugh. In Victor's Village, Destinique doesn't have the best reputation. Since most of the people there had won because they killed someone, Destinique and her accidental win wasn't the most respected. For this she was made fun of.

I hush them, and they listen. "I do, too, Destinique." I tell her. "We didn't even get to say good bye to our families."

"Seeing Dad and a couple girls that hate me? I'm glad we didn't get the visitations." X says. Enobaria agreed by saying she didn't have anyone to say goodbye to that wasn't already on this train. Marina said that we could write letters and that she would give it to the people they're meant for when she comes back.

I ask Marina if they reruns of the other districts are on she says yes. We pile into the television cart, and we watch. From District 1, we have a familiar friend, Mint. There isn't anyone famliar until District 5, Emmet Green. The boy who won by electrifying many of the tributes in his games. _District 5...Roxy..._ She hasn't been in my mind for a long time. I remember saying goodbye to her. And Gammic, and Crystal, and...Martha. But I can't think of her right now. She's the furthest from my mind. I have to act as if I didn't love her. Anyways, while training, a package was delivered to my house and it was filled with footage of past games. Some of the people I see on the screen were on them.

From District 6, there is Lacey Turner, and Melrose Matheson. He wasn't dangerous, he just knew the right places to hide traps in. District 10 offers 32-year-old Hog. He was one of the brutal ones. He killed almost everyone in the arena, just like one of his female district partners, Howl. The fourty year old women was notorious for malicious murders.

Finally it gets to District 12. Based on Cole, I can say that a lot of their Victors might be sly and cunning. There tributes are Katniss Everdeen and three other younger Victors. _Katniss Everdeen_. She might be some trouble. I never saw her Hunger Games, but I do know that she is extremely accurate and powerful when it came to archery. She was the leader of the Rebellion, I'm surprised they let her live. Her sad eyes don't seem to filled with to much desperation. She's younger than Enobaria, maybe she's in her fifties. I feel bad for her.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, I wake up to be in the Capital. I duck from the window, and grab a water bottle, I put two tear drops on my eyes and go back to the window, and I put my hand up to the glass. Some of them shout in sadness, and some say that they don't want me back in the arena.

The door opens and I'm dragged out by Peacekeepers. They drag me all the way to the Stylist's headquarters. When I strip and put on the robe so I can get prepped, the prep team comes in crying. "Oh, Adonis, we're so sorry that you have to come back to all of this!" Verona says crying.

"It's not your fault. How would you know you'd see me back here?" They all nod, and while they prep me they still cry. They tell me about their lives since the victory tour, and I'm glad that they have enough trust in me to tell me about themselves. It seems as if their lives are going good, no matter how incompetent. When they finish, they leave me alone. It seems as if an hour goes by before Rivers comes in.

"Sorry, I'm late. I had to talk something over with the rest of the stylists. Let's get started!" He says cheerfully. He starts putting me back in the armour from last year and says that Enobaria, X, Destinique, and I will be wearing the same type of outfit as I am. He also says that our Mentor, Lo, will not be in the crowd due to sickness. The man isn't just sick, he's old, and brittle. "When you're down there, don't look at the crowd. Let them know that you are unforgiving of being here by not looking at them." He tells me something else, something about when we stop.

When we finish, he takes me down to the stables and I go to my chariot. No one else from the team is here. _47 tributes, all killers, all against me._ "Hi, there," I look up to see one of the girls from District 5. "I'm Milly." She introduces herself.

"I'm Adonis," I tell her and shake her hand. I see her nails are long. She takes her hand away quickly and hides it away behind her back. This can't be good. I know Milly. I saw her on one of the video tapes. She won by dipping her nails in poison and injecting it into other tributes with a scratch.

"It's nice to finally meet you. You can't be all by yourself though, come join us, Adonis," she says and she points to a small group of three. I walk over with her and I recognize the faces. Lacey Turner from 6, Emmet Green from 5, and Carly Rodgers from District 12.

"Hey, you guys. This is..."

"Adonis breach of District 2." Carly interrupts Milly. "Yes, I know who this is."

"Don't mind her. She just doesn't like new people." Lacey growls at Carly. "I'm Lacey," she is my age, and Carly is two years older. Lacey and Carly look incredibly alike, except their two sides of the same coin.

"Well, you wouldn't like him either if he killed your tribute." Carly says examining me. I'm guessing she was Cole's mentor."

"Carly!" Emmet shouts at her. "Of course he had to kill your tribute. He had to win. And if everyone felt the way you did, then less than half of the people here would hate me."

"True, I guess." Carly laughs. "I'm Carly Rodgers. You might remember from the Hunger Games 3 years ago." I do remember her. I also remember that she strangled anything in sight to win. When I shake her hand, she squeezes it, and I can see how she was able to win by using constriction. Carly has shoulder length black hair, and deep blue eyes. She comes from 12, so she must know Katniss.

"I'm Emmet," Emmet says right after her. Of course I know, Emmet. As soon as I shook his hand, I had this weird sensation. Emmet's hand felt like X's, which I have experience with since X use to beat me when we were younger. Except Emmet had this lighter shine than X. Nicer, killer or not, he was genuinely nice. Emmet was 24 years old. He's younger than X but I can see some similarities. Both their eyes had the same form. The color was different, but they had the same wide eyes.

We talk for a while longer, and then I look around to see Destinique talking with Mint and others from District 1. I see Enobaria and X with a group made up of 12. Then I look over to the District 12 chariot, and see Katniss sitting by herself. I'm about to go walking over to her when Carly grabs my hand. "I wouldn't if I were you."

"Why not?" I ask her.

"Katniss...is a little out there. She hasn't been the same since her husband was killed." Carly says.

"She's so lonely, though."

"Exactly," Carly says. I decide to go talk to her anyways. Even if she didn't want my company, she would have it. I walk up to the chariot and she just looks straight ahead.

"Hello," I says quietly. "I'm Adonis."

"I want to be alone," she says not looking at me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let that happen. No one deserves to be alone."

"But I do. I always have, and I always will," she says and actually looks at me. She takes a long look at me, and then extends her hand out. I grab it and she helps me up on th chariot. I sit down across from her. "You remind me of an old friend of mine. Especially with what you're wearing?"

"Really, who?"

"Finnick Odair. He was a tribute along side me in the 75th Hunger Games." She has a slight smile forming. "I remember he came up to me on my chariot and with his ridiculous costume, which over-exposed him, asked me if I wanted a suger cube." I laugh a bit along with her, because I can imagine the cheesy line and something more exposing than this.

She looks at me one last time, and then blinks twice. "You have to go,"

"What?" I ask as she pushes me off the chariot.

"Now!" she says and goes back to staring straight ahead. I leave back to the group, and now only Lacey and Emmet remain. Emmet looks at my wings and tells me how much better they are then his costume. It's a black jumpsuit lined with little light bulbs. They haven't turned on yet, so they will probably shine during the lap around the City Circle.

"Don't you just hate that we have to come back here," Emmet says.

"It's horrible. I mean this is possible grounds for rebellion if we play our cards right." Lacey finishes, they both smile at me, and then walk away. Are they insinuating...an uprising?


	4. Chapter 4

I get on my chariot and see that X, Enobaria, and Destinique are all wearing costumes to match mine. I look around and see all the complicated costumes surrounding us. District 1 wears a masquerade costume, District 5 wears the same thing as Emmet, District 10 wear big furry costumes that convey them as wolves, and District 12 are all dressed in black leotards.

"You ready, Kiddo?" X asks me.

"Always have been," I think about last year when I was here, with Martha. She looked beautiful in her costume. At the time, I didn't realize it, but she was the girl of my dreams. I look over to Enobaria, and notice her necklace. It's a small crystal ball with green and purple sand.

"We're did you get that, Enobaria?" I ask her. She notices I'm talking about the necklace.

"I make them. It gives me something to do on my spare time. It's like the one I gave you last year. It's filled with pheromones that effect the anger in a person. My dad made me one in my games, and I make them for special tributes." She smiles at me. "Remember don't show them your shiny teeth."

_Enobaria was the Lady-in-faith. _Now isn't this a wild turn of events.

The music starts and we all start moving. We circle, but we just look straight ahead. Not even X who loves the limelight looks up into the crowds. The crowds roar slowly start to flicker into cries of admiration and sadness. "We're sorry, Adonis!" They yell. "Destinique, why!"

"District 2! We love you!" they cry for our attention, but we make no motions towards them. I look into the screens and see every other District doing the same. District 12 wasn't on fire this year. _Strange._ I didn't know that the Capital people loved us this much. It's kind of sad. It's like taking shiny new toys from a child and smashing them in front of the kid.

We all stop in front of the President's mansion, and he steps out for his speech. I look straight up at the man I hate, and I know he can see me too. This man has ruined my life. It's because of him, I have to pretend that I never loved Martha. That I never spoke for Roxy and Crystal and Gammic. The lights all go off, except for a spotlight on him. When he begins to speak, I see a light resonates from District 1. I look over and see that they're masks and masquerade attire has lit on fire.

I look besides myself, and see all of our wings have also lit on fire. So has District 3, and 4, and 5, and 6, and every other district. Slowly the City Circle fills with light from fires. The crowd is filled with awe. But President Scar isn't. I love the scared expression on his face. Destinique grabs my hand and tells me to grab X and Enobaria's hands and I do. She walks us off the chariot, and along with the other districts we line up in front of the mansion, and we face the crowd. We all hold hands and in one flawless motion raise them above our heads. Together we had accumulated into a wildfire. One that cannot, and will not be contained.

The crowd goes wild, and we all turn back to the President so he can finish his speech. He looks down at all of us with a smile. Behind this smile, though, is nothing but pure hatred. He knows what we just did, and we're going to pay for it, but I'd like to see him try and touch us. Harm us, the Victors of the Hunger Games, and you will have a rebellion in your hands. Not only in the districts, but here in the Capital. They love us, and it's there love that is keeping us safe right now.

We all go back on our chariots and we parade one last time. We still don't look at the crowd.

When we enter the Training Center, all I can hear is the roar of laughter open up. Everyone knows what they just did. They're, I mean we, were taunting the Capital. We just showed how there power will not control us. Emmet comes up to me along with Carly and a man from District 7. "Hello, I'm Wrecker," The man introduces himself. "That was some work you did."

"Thank you, so did you. I'm Adonis by the way." Wreck is in his sixties, and right now he is the smoldering remains of a tree, since he is from District 7, lumber. I hear X call me and I leave them with a goodbye. I join the other three in the elevator. Lacey is also in the elevator. Her costume of a train is now a wreck due to the flames.

"Wasn't that amazing!" She hugs me, and I sort of pick her up. "It was so fun, you did great!"

"So did you, Lacey!" I tell her. "Oh, this is Enobaria, Destinique, and..."

"I'm X," X introduces himself. "And you're the lovely, little Lacey, I've been hearing about, aren't you?" he flirts with her. She blushes, and we come up to our floor. I say goodbye to her, and then go into the floor.

It's the same as I remember. Marina Blue and Lo are already in the room. They greet us and tell us what a great job we did. "Rivers did a great job with the costumes this year!" Lo finally speaks the whoe time I've known him.

"Thank you," I hear Rivers come in. " But it wasn't just me, I had some help from old friends." It's Rivers, Geisha, and two other older people. The woman's name is Curly, and she was X's stylist, and a the other woman was Suz, Enobaria's old stylist. When I say old, I mean old.

We all go to our rooms, and we get ready for dinner. When I take a shower, and get redressed, I go to the dining room, and sit down at the larger table. I sit with Destinique, and during the whole dinner they all tell us how good we were. I stand up and decide to say a few words.

"We all did amazing, not just us, but the other districts too. X and Enobaria you guys haven't been here for a long time, but you did great. Destinique, you were also good. And how can I forget the most important person. I love you, Martha."

I hear the metal spoons an forks clink on dishes. I just realized what I said. _Martha isn't here anymore._ I look to Destinique and she has a sadden expression on her face, so does Marina, Geisha, and Rivers.

"I'm sorry," I say and quickly leave the dining room, and go back to my room. Inside my room, I throw myself on to the bed and clench my hands over my ears and scream. I keep screaming into the pillow until I don't make noise when I try to scream.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, I ly awake in bed. I don't even feel like going to training. It takes both X and Enobaria to get me out of bed, but once they do, I allow myself to get dressed and to eat breakfast. Marina stays sympathetic to me after yesterday's incident.

She even gives me the food as I sit limply on the chair. I know I should be moving, today is the training day, after all. But I don't want to.

Destinique seems a bit disturbed by me. She feels the same way about losing Martha. Now, I just dug up those emotions in her, with my speech yesterday. She sits down next to me and tells me that she isn't here anymore. "Don't you think I know that," I say quietly.

"She's. not. here," she emphasizes it.

"I know!" I start to cry.

"Martha is gone!" she starts to cry too. She keeps yelling at me until it finally hits me one more time. Martha is gone and there is no way she will be coming back. I fall to my knees and Destinique tries to hold me up.

Today, I stay up on the floor instead of going to training. X, Destinique, and Enobaria go down with me. I stay in bed and look out the window, and watch over the street below. The lights are glamorous. I need some air. I climb into the elevator and press the top button. I go up to the roof. I look out the door and see that the sun shines bright over the edge and over the dew sprinkled plants in the greenhouse.

I step out and let the wind blow through me. I go over to the edge and see the people down in the streets below in a hurry in and out of building. I'm guessing that the parties are only at night. I look around when I hear a noise and towards the greenhouse, I see someone come out. I get scared at first but then I see a familiar face. Katniss.

"Oh, hi there," I say.

"Hello," she says and walks over to my side. "What are you doing up here?"

"I needed some fresh air. Why aren't you training?"

"They all know what I can do, I don't really need to prove myself. Plus this place brings back good memories."

"Same here. I was once up here with Martha, and...I mean it's really pretty here." I try to shove away what I had just said, hoping she didn't hear me clearly.

"Martha," she says looking out over the buildings. "Wasn't she your district partner, that you tricked into thinking that you loved her." She sounds a bit sarcastic.

"Yes, that is exactly what I did." I say. It goes quiet for a minute before she answers.

"No, you didn't." She looks me in the eyes. "You really did love her didn't you." I try to deny, but for some reason, she's able to drag it out of me. I break down and tell her everything. That the president told me to lie about Martha and I. To tell people I really am trained to win the Hunger Games. "I remember back when I was young. The president at the time told me to do the opposite. I had to be in love with my district partner, Peeta. At the time, I didn't know it, but I truly did love him. I remember that we had our first really talk up here. On the roof. The day before our first games. Then I was able to get us both out of the arena."

"I wish I could've gotten Martha out of there." I feel my eyes getting glossy, but I don't let myself cry.

"Trust me. It would've been better to have left her dead. That way you wouldn't have to watch her die years later. Killed because of your rebellious roots. Like Peeta." I don't hear it, but she's crying heavily now. I try to say something but she cuts me off. "And my kids. Tyke and Prim. Both of them gone. I never even got to say goodbye to them." She breaks down completely. She's about to fall but I catch her, and let her cry on me.

She cries for a long time, and when she stops she thanks me. "I think I should be getting back to my floor. I need some alone time."

"Nobody deserves to be alone, Katniss. Let's go to the training floor and show them something to be scared of." From the smirk that grows on her face, I know she agrees.

We go down to the training floor, and see that they're in the middle of lunch. We join all of them, but we take a separate table. We talk about what we'll be doing. She says that she'll be spending time on simple stations, and that I should show them what I can do, since they haven't seen what I can do. I think I'll start with swordplay.

I look around and see the faces of the 46 tributes looking at me. I almost forgot that there was a lot more people than my last games. The bell rings and I feel someone push me down as I make my way out of the cafeteria. I look up and see the boy from district 8, Landon Isles. "Sorry. You should really watch where you're going," he says with venom and hate in his voice.

I watch Katniss go over to the fire building station. I go over to the sword station, and as loud as I can I chop pieces from fake bodies. I look around and see that I do have attention, but not everyone. I look for other tributes to see what they can do. I cans see Lacey swinging a mace around. Emmet somehow made an electrified trap in the trap building, and Carly is cutting things down with a pick axe. Milly is at the wrestling station practicing with one of the assistants. I have to hand it to her, she can really fight. She's tossing the assistant around as if he was a rag doll. Now, I have to worry about her in the arena. Her strength and those nails are sure to be a deadly combination.

X is at the axe throwing station, and he shows no sign of weakness when he throws them straight into the heart of the targets. Enobaria does the same with throwing knives. I'm not worried one bit because most people turn their heads to me when I slaughter the field of rubber bodies with my sword. I take a break and go with Katniss in the knot-tying station, and I really need help with it. She helps me through it a lot, and by the end of the day I'm actually moderately fine with it.

I walk with Katniss to the elevator and that's when Carly and another District 12 tribute, Alex, start walking with us. "Nice to see you out of bed, Katniss," Carly says.

"I felt that I needed to interact. I even made a new friend, meet Adonis." Katniss says disregarding Carly's sarcasm.

"Yes, we're well acquainted," Carly says with a slight snicker. Ever since I had met Carly, I knew that I couldn't fully trust her. She has this dangerous air about her. I still remember her from the Hunger Games 4 years ago. She was the first to the cornucopia, and she had the first and last kill. The cameras were mainly on her. She knew how to survive in the wooded desert, it was kind of hard to keep your eyes off of her attempts.

When we come to a stop at my floor, I turn to Katniss and make plans for tomorrow. In exchange for archery lessons, she gets axe throwing. It's not the most difficult thing in the world but it does take some strength and accuracy.

As soon as I came back to my room, I just showered and joined everyone else in the dining room. While we eat dinner, a very excited Marina nudges Lo and tells him to tell us the good news. "Fine!" Lo says slightly annoyed. "Well, what Marina can't wait to tell you is that we have news of alliances right now. X and Enobaria, you've gotten 4 requests already, all from the same people. Districts 3, 1, 8, and 9 all want you. Destinique, you've got 3 requests from Districts 1, 10, and 11. Adonis, you've got 13 individual requests. Here's a list." he pulls out a paper. "All of District 1, Emmet Green, Milly Mage, Lacey Turner, all of District 9, Carly Rodgers, and Katniss Everdeen."

"Impressive!" Enobaria says. "She's really good at archery. I suggest you team up with her, Emmet, Milly, and Carly."

"I think I'll just choose Katniss," I say not looking up from the dish. Destinique sort of huffs in anger and leaves. "And Destinique." I say before she completely leaves. She sits back down with a dumb smirk on her face.

"You can have her, it's not like I'm gonna team up with you two." X says. "So be warned, little brother," he leans in. "Once we're in the arena, we have no relations."

"I'm glad we're covering that right now, because I wasn't planning on holding back. I have years of pent up rage from you, and now it's time to release it, Atlas." I call him by his real name.


	6. Chapter 6

Katniss has taught me how to fire an arrow, I'm not the best but it'll have to do. I show techniques on how to throw the axe just right, and she tells me the story of another ex-competitor, Johanna Mason. Apparently she was more than proficient with an axe. She was famous for her wicked ability to kill.

During lunch, Lacey, Emmet, and Carly came up to us, and asked us to train with them, but we both denied them. We've agreed to only work together during trainings and we have our alliance formed. Destinique is not in it though, I told her it would be better for her to be with District 1. She easily agreed. I told her I was really sorry, but Katniss wanted to go in alone, and it was the only way I could've gone with her.

In the second round of training after lunch, Katniss tells me that we should watch our opponents. Just to study.

Destinique has now shown that she isn't just the luckiest person to play the games. She has shown that she can really throw the boomerang. Landon is sword fighting with an assistant and he's just as good as me, probably better. Katniss points out Carly, who sits alone in the knot-tying station. Just sitting there. Weaving the same knot, undoing it, then starting over. Lacey told me about Carly's flashbacks. They always put here back in her original games, where she watched her best friend get killed by the pick axe Carly threw in the wrong direction. Lacey says that Carly's hard exterior is so she can keep people out.

"She can be in our alliance," Katniss says watching Carly. "I'll tell her. We can have one more, your choice." I look around and see Destinique trying so hard. Her new team members seem to really enjoy having her around, and she loves the attention. _Can I really take that away from her?_

"I'll ask Destinique today, but if she says no, I'll want Emmet to be part of this." We both look over to him, and he seems to be surrounded by many of the female tributes in the wrestling station.

"Another Finnick, huh?" She says distantly. "I'll accept."

Later that day at dinner, I asked Destinique if she wanted to be part of my alliance with Carly and Katniss. "I would, but I've already dedicated myself to District 1. Maybe if I lose them in the arena or they don't turn out to be a good team."

"If you say so." It looks like I'm going to be in an alliance with Emmet, Carly, and Katniss. Four against 44. I'm not sure our alliance will make it far, we'll break soon in.

The next day while I waited to be called in for my private session, I located Emmet sitting with Milly and the rest of his District. I pulled him aside and I asked him. "So Emmet do you want to join me and Katniss in an alliance?"

"I'm I the only one besides you two?" He asked looking back to Milly.

"No, Carly is also part of it."

"I would, but if I do, I have to bring Milly with me." Milly is tough and smart. Plus, like me, she received tons of gifts from sponsors in her games. She could help us, but I have to talk to Katniss about. I think she might accept it if we both start thinking strategically.

I go up to Katniss who sits next to an angry-faced Carly. "Katniss, I asked Emmet, but he said he wouldn't join unless we let Milly joins us."

"No," she says without thinking about it.

"But Katniss, I think that having her around could help us,"

"No."

"Katniss, I'll have to agree with Adonis. Milly is a really good player. Haven't you seen her toss the assistant around like a rag doll," Carly lightens up at the thought of Milly being with us.

"She can also help us get more sponsors. At least just think about it. Emmet, Milly, Carly, you, and I. We can get far in this game together."

We keep trying to convince her until finally she agrees to let her into the group. I hug her so tightly that I can't feel myself breathe. My name is announced and before I tell Emmet and Milly there in. I go into the gymnasium for my private session with the Gamemakers.

I walk in and all is quiet except for the Gamemakers scribbling something down on their papers. I stand in front of them, and wait for all of there attention to be on me. "You may begin," says the head Gamemaker almost sounding impatient.

"Oh, yes, I was just waiting for everyone's eyes and ears to be on me." I begin. I walk over to the swords and pick up one. "This sword is sharp. I mean it has to be in order to be good, to survive. Just like people. We have to be sharp in order to keep our lives. Especially the other 47 tributes and I. You can all sit here with no threat to your lives, right?"

Some of them nod. "Or so you think," I can hear the clank of glasses being put down. "I was told of the last Quarter Quell. How all the victors, tributes, all got together and made a stand against the Capital. If I remember correctly, they were successful. And the Gamemakers that year were all tortured and killed for their stupidity. I guess you can say that they weren't sharp." I can feel the air in the atmosphere tense up.

"I'd hate to see that happen again. But who's to say what'll happen. I mean I'm the one going into the Arena. And in the Arena. There is a lot of things that cannot be censored." I look over to the head Gamemaker. "If something big happened like it did last time, I feel like you'd get the worst of it. Don't get me wrong, you'd all get something bad, but you. You would regret ever sending me into the arena."

I start walking to the elevator. "I would like a sword, bow and arrows, a pick axe, and some maces to be in the cornucopia. Plus fill a couple of packs with some goodies for me, and make sure they're placed near Katniss Everdeen and Carly Rodgers from District 12, Milly and Emmet Green from District 5, and me. If that doesn't happen...then...may the odds be ever in your favor." I walk into the elevator and go up to my floor. I think I'll be having an advantage in these games.


	7. Chapter 7

"From District 2, X Canon...10!" Rupalia says and people cheer.

"Beat that, little brother!" X says. My scores next. I think I was very convincing to them.

"Next is Adonis Breach with a score of...12!" She looks breathtakingly surprised. I wasn't though. The expression on the other three was priceless. Enobaria laughed in an evil tone. X's jaw dropped and locked, and Destinique was frozen still. Enobaria's 11 must've made her think of herself as competition for me. Destinique's even 10 still seemed smaller compared to X's.

We sit and watch the rest and just as I warned the Gamemakers, others scored high too. Milly, Emmet, Katniss, and Carly received 12s. Lacey also did good with a score of 11. Then, the guy from 8, Landon scored a 10. A lot of the tributes received 7-9 range.

They are sure to stay away from the group of 12s.

Tomorrow is left to do our last training, which is performance and presentation. Marina says that Destinique and I have been in the games recently enough to skip this training. Although, Enobaria and X are receiving the full course training.

Destinique and I have decided to spend the day together. Sort of like a last hoo-ra to our friendship, before we rip and tear at each other until we're finally gone. I asked Katniss if she wanted to be with us, but she said that she'd rather stay alone that day.

I completely understand. She's been three of these, just like Enobaria. But Enobaria, being a career tribute two out of three times, has more experience as a volunteer killer. I just don't want this all to go to waste, I'm spending any minute I have enjoying time I have left. My death clock is ticking, and it is most definitely done.

The next morning, Destinique and I went down to the training room just to train for a while. I review everything I can, and with help from the assistants since they're still here today. Tributes have the option to come in this day, but most don't since they need the preparation for the interviews. I do see a few other tributes here, but I don't know any of their names.

After hours of training, we return back upstairs to see Marina lecturing Enobaria and X on the dos and don'ts of the interviews. Destinique and I separate to our rooms so we can clean up and spend the rest of the day up on the roof's greenhouse.

We've got time to enjoy ourselves. We sneak out some food and set up a little basket that I get from an Avox who has to get it. They help us fill the basket, and one of the male Avox slips me a flower in the basket. He makes a gesture toward Destinique and smiles. I know what he's thinking, and he's certainly wrong. Destinique is more of a sister than anything.

On the roof, we set up near a bed of flowers over-looking the Capital. Now I understand why the Avox slipped me the flower. This is one of the most romantic sights I've seen in a long time. We both talk about the events in our lives since we met each other, and we laugh. We've known each other for about a year, yet we have these exhilarating stories of the adventures we've been through. Whether it was cooping with the Martha's death at the Victory Tour, or screaming at each other just to release the tension. We've been through a lot and tomorrow ends it all.

"Destinique," I say as the wind blows through our hair. "I'll miss you."

"Why do you say that, Adonis?" she says looking straight out to the Capital towers. I do the same and process what I'm about to say.

"I say that because I know that one of us will die or both of us and I just want you to know. That you're one of my closest friends. That I'll miss you when you or I are gone."

"Please don't," she reaches and grips my wrist. "Just don't."

"I have too," I clasp her hand with both of my hands. "I love you, Destinique. You're my friend and I love you. I know that I might have an Iron Grip team, but I want you to win. I want you to go home, and tell my story, and your story, and Katniss', and Xs', and even Enobarias'. Destinique, you have to win if I don't."

She looks straight into my eyes and starts crying with her mouth open. She's speechless. Then she turns away and stands up. She walks to the elevator, and stops. She runs back, and kisses me on the cheek, and sneaks the words "I will" into my ear.

I'm left alone on the roof. I just watch the blue sky as it has clouds float about. This Angel of District 2 will be flying among them soon.

I just sit and then I hear someone come near me. I look up to see Katniss standing above me, looking toward the city. "I heard everything." She says.

"I don't regret any of it." I know that she might think that I'm compromising the chances of ours to win.

"I understand," is all she says. "A picnic, huh? This takes me back." She sits down next to me, and I see a graying streak of hair fall over her face and flutter in the wind. She isn't completely old, so I don't understand why she's graying, it must be the stress of her third Hunger Game. I give her a look and she starts to explain further. "Back in my second games, I sat up here with my husband, Peeta, before he was my husband, and we had a picnic. We laughed and played with each other. I think that was the first day I thought of him as something more than a friend."

"Can I ask you something?"

"It depends what it is."

"What happened to your husband?"

She remains quiet for a long time, and her silence answers my question. She doesn't want to talk about it. After a while she gets up and says that she's going to return back to her floor. "This place...gives me pleasant memories and then turns them...unpleasant."

I watch her go, and start to dig into the food that I brought up. I hear a twinkling and I turn to look outside of the greenhouse, since it came from outside. I see Lacey in a small green dress holding a bell in her hands and looking over the ledge.

I get up and walk over to her. She seems peaceful, so I decide to turn around and return to the greenhouse, but then I hear a sob burst from her. I stand behind her as she starts to cry/ I reach out and then struggle to rest my hand on her shoulder. Thinking it would scare her half to death, and embarrass her, since I'd been here to see her breakdown. But she needs someone, so I do.


End file.
